The Hyuuga and I
by Lifeofthe6
Summary: Tenten is confused. She's a great friend, an awesome teammate, and good looking to say the least. Neji should be all over her, right? Right? Follow Tenten as she finds herself and earns Neji's love!
1. Chapter 1

**The Hyuuga and I**

"Hey, Neji!" Tenten greeted her teammate as she spotted him walking down the street one day. She was lucky his black and white robes helped him stand out, because the town was crowded today. Then again, Tenten's giant scroll didn't exactly make traveling a breeze, either.

"Neji! Neji!" called Tenten, but over the hustle and bustle on this Konoha Saturday, the Hyuuga prodigy didn't seem to notice.

"Geez, he has a 360 degree view of everything but he can't hear for beans." the weapons master grunted to herself. With that, she proceeded to attempt to push through the crowd towards Neji, whom she was beginning to lose sight of. All of a sudden, after a couple minutes of pushing and rushing, the crowd cleared, and Neji was the only one in sight by the main gate.

"Finally. Hey, Neji!" Tenten called again. This time the young ninja took notice.

"Ah, Tenten. You needed something?" he said. Neji's cool and calm voice always sounded good to Tenten.

"Gee, ya think? I was calling you for, like, five whole minutes!" Tenten replied, holding five fingers up. Neji took out his cell phone and checked it.

"I don't seem to have any messages. Are you sure your call got through?" Tenten slapped her head.

"Ugh, for a genius you sure can be clueless sometimes. I mean that I was physically calling you from the street."

"I must not have heard." said the Hyuuga.

"Obviously."

"So what was it that you needed?" Neji asked.

"Oh, yeah," Tenten had almost forgotten, "I was wondering if you wanted to do something today with me." she twiddled her fingers in a Hinata-esque manner as she spoke. Neji shook his head.

"I would, except Tsunade-sama has sent me on a mission. Perhaps when I return." he started to walk away, but Tenten tried to stop him.

"Wait! Can't I go with you?" she asked.

"I need to get going now, and it's going to take too long for you to go tell the Hokage that you're joining me. I'm sorry, Tenten, but I must be on my way." Neji apologized. Tenten sulked, and as if on cue, once Neji was out of sight once again, clouds gathered and it started to pour rain.

"At least this will make it harder for anyone to see me…" tears began to flow down the kunoichi's face, melding with the massive drops that fell from the sky. Even though most others in the village were rushing indoors, Tenten slowly made her way back home. Upon reaching her house, she looked at the portraits that she always kept on the end table in the front hall. One was of a small Tenten with two older people, a man and a woman. Even though they were all smiling, Tenten felt emptiness in her heart.

"Who are you people?" Tenten asked the inanimate portrait, and then she gently lay the picture face down. Then she stared at the next picture, which showed a slightly older Tenten in a snow white graduation cap and gown holding a scroll in one hand and giving the camera the peace symbol with the other.

"What did I do all that for?" the Chunnin shook her head and closed her eyes, and put that photo face down as well. Then she spotted the final picture. She, Neji, Lee, and Gai posing for a team photo shortly after Team Gai was formed. Neji, of course, was the only one without a huge grin. In fact, his face was only half visible; he seemed to want to avoid social interaction.

"Oh yeah, that's why." Tenten answered her own question. Tenten did not put this picture face down. Instead, she took a coin out of her wallet, and placed it over Neji's face.

"Maybe when you can prove yourself to me, Neji. Not just your clan." she spoke to the unmoving Hyuuga.

In the quiet solitude of her bathtub, Tenten examined herself.

"Is it me?" she asked to no one. She looked down at her body. In the nearby mirror she saw that with her hair down she looked rather beautiful, or so she said to herself. Next she looked at her breasts. She was coming along nicely for a girl of 16 years.

"They're kind of big, I guess. Maybe Neji's not that kind of guy?" said Tenten. Then she proceeded to evaluate the rest of her body. Abdomen, nice and curvy. Waist, almost perfect. Hips, to die for. Legs, I don't know what guy wouldn't want them.

"In retrospect, I'm the perfect looking girl. Why doesn't Neji acknowledge me more?" the kunoichi, finished bathing, stood up and wrapped a towel around her marvelous figure.

Once finished drying she put on a nightgown and turned in for the night. Rain still beat against the window panes. In her sleep, Tenten grew restless. Added lightning and thunder didn't help the female ninja's nightmares. In her dreams, Tenten imagined herself surrounded by giant versions of the portraits she has placed down upon arriving at home. She couldn't move, and slowly and one by one the towering pictures fell on her, one disappearing after it had done its job and letting the next one in. When it got to the team picture, Tenten wasn't in it, and Lee and Gai faded away, leaving Neji half turned away from the camera's point of view. But, in this dream, the picture Neji turned around and stared at Tenten. He stared at her with those big, lavender eyes that Tenten had fallen so madly in love with, but this time they scared her. Neji's face got closer, closer, and closer still. Right when it seemed like it was about to make contact, Tenten blasted her eyes open. She was hyperventilating, and her body had grown sweaty.

"That was absolutely terrible." she thought to herself. Outside, the rain had stopped, and a bright full moon and hundreds of stars dotted the Leaf Village's night sky. Tenten looked at them for what seemed like hours, but then fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Hyuuga and I part 2**

The next morning was extremely sunny. If you didn't notice the extra dew all over the plants and buildings, you wouldn't have even guessed there was a storm the previous night. Tenten's house was near the main gate, with a window that had a prime vantage point of anyone coming in. It was a good thing, too, because this is where she saw Neji stumbling in, dripping wet, with tattered robes, and near covered in blood.

"Oh my God, Neji!" called Tenten from the window. The kunoichi set the world record for getting dressed and rushed to the Hyuuga, who had just collapsed.

"Oh, man, Neji! Neji-kun! Please be alright; talk to me!" this screaming alerted other nearby homes where villagers looked to see what the matter was.

"It's the Hyuuga boy!" called one woman.

"My God, he's covered in blood!" exclaimed another man.

"Somebody get a medical team out here!" but Tenten wouldn't wait for a medical team. Despite warnings and discouragement from the other villagers, Tenten took Neji in her arms and ran at top possible speed to the hospital. She startled Sakura at the reception desk when she burst in with the battered genius.

"Holy crap! What happened to him?!" Sakura asked, rushing to get other medical nin and to retrieve a gurney.

"I don't know. It must have happened on the mission." replied Tenten.

"It was a B-rank, wasn't it?"

"I wouldn't know, but he's Neji. Even if it was an A-rank mission he wouldn't have that much trouble alone." said Tenten. By now they were rushing with Neji, who was still unconscious, to the emergency room. Sakura appeared to be deep in thought for a second, then turned to Tenten,

"You know, sometimes Naruto doesn't perform very well on missions when he can't concentrate. Maybe Neji was distracted by a thought or something, and the enemy got the better of him." Tenten shook her head.

"Nuh-uh. Even if he didn't have his Byakugan engaged he would have noticed anything coming at him. I can't understand how he could have been hit by anything." Tenten started to bawl. Sakura told her to wait outside the emergency room where Neji was under biopsy and surgery for four hours. His teammate stayed the whole time, and Lee and Gai had just joined her during the third hour of waiting.

"Tenten!" called Gai, who was rushing with Lee to where the kunoichi was sitting, "How's my second best pupil doing?"

"It's not me that's hurt Gai-sensei! Neji's in there, and who knows what went wrong!" Tenten lashed out, tears still filling her eyes.

"I was talking about Neji." said Gai. Tenten blushed.

"Oh, I'm sorry. To answer your question I don't know how he's doing. He's been in there for a good three hours, twelve minutes, and 36 seconds—not that I'm counting—with no word from Sakura or the medical team working on him." she explained. Lee put one hand on Tenten's shoulder and gave the thumbs-up sign with the other while flashing a smile.

"Neji will be alright! If it is Sakura-chan that is treating him then he will no doubt be in top condition once the procedure is over!" said Lee.

"Now that's the attitude that will win any match! Lee's right about that, Tenten. Neji's going to be ay-o-k!" Gai acknowledged his student, also giving the thumbs-up sign and flashing a smile, while Lee proceeded to kick randomly at the air. _If only I had the same confidence as those two. Ignorance is bliss, I guess. _Thought Tenten. Suddenly the surgery light turned off, and Sakura emerged with a somber face.

"So what's the word, Sakura? Will Neji Hyuuga still be a part of Team Gai?" asked Gai.

"The injuries were unlike anything any of us have ever seen. We found a piece of a blade made of a metal that could be infused with chakra. That one piece was slowly destroying Neji's internal organs. If we hadn't removed it when we did, Neji would be gone right now…" said Sakura.

"But will he be alright?" Tenten asked frantically.

"He won't be going on any mission soon, that's for sure. But, with about four weeks of healing and rest he'll be as good as new. Sometimes he can be as stubborn as Naruto or Lee so Tenten, make sure he doesn't do anything drastic, all right?" said Sakura. Tenten jumped at the mention of her name.

"Ah, yes. I won't let him out of my sight. Thank you for everything that you've done, Sakura. You've saved Neji." Tenten took Sakura's hand in hers and kissed it multiple times, much to Sakura's discomfort.

"Uh, yeah. You're welcome, I guess. Oh! Here's Neji now, remember to keep an eye on him!" Sakura ditched the oddity of Team Gai as fast as possible.

"Gai-sensei, Lee, Tenten. You three waited for me?" asked Neji. He was in crutches, and just like he did purposely two and a half years ago, his right half was covered in bandages, but other than that he looked fairly normal.

"But of course, Neji. Every part of Team Gai should be taken care of under the supervision of friends!" Gai posed and flashed a smile again.

"Do not worry, Neji. While you are recovering we will bring your attackers to justice! No one injures a member of Team Gai and gets away with it!" said Lee, who began punching the air now. Tenten and Neji had to get rid of these two, and fast.

"Neji, it'd probably be better if you were resting at home. Let's go, shall we?" said Tenten.

"I couldn't agree more." Neji concurred.

_Even if it's under these circumstances, finally I have Neji all to myself! Sakura asked _me _to take care of him! _On the way back to the Hyuuga complex, Neji and Tenten had a conversation.

"How ironic." Neji began.

"What are you talking about?" asked Tenten.

"Before I left for my mission two days ago I had no time to be with you. Now it seems I have no choice." Neji laughed slightly as he said this.

"Oh, so now being with me is a bad thing?" Tenten joked.

"No, it's just that… it's interesting to spend time with you when we're not on a mission or sparring with each other." Tenten looked puzzled.

"Interesting? You have an IQ of over 150 and you come up with 'interesting'?"

"I apologize, Tenten. I'm new to this boyfriend and girlfriend business." Neji looked away and blushed. Tenten was shocked. _HE LIKES ME!? AND HE THINKS WE'RE BOYFRIEND AND GIRLFIREND ALREADY!?_ She yelled in her mind. After pondering for a minute, she decided just to roll with what was going on.

"Well you don't need to worry. I'm girlfriend Tenten extraordinaire!" Tenten assured Neji. _What the hell am I saying? He's my first boyfriend! _ The kunoichi tried to look as calm as possible for Neji's sake. Soon they had arrived at the main courtyard of the Hyuuga complex. The sun was setting.

"Well, here we are. Did you break anything on the way?" said Tenten. Neji chuckled.

"I'll be fine. I thank you for escorting me home, Tenten-chan." said Neji. Tenten blushed at the fact that Neji bothered to use an honorific for her name. The next few weeks were going to be incredible, Tenten felt.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Hyuuga and I part 3**

Neji spent the next few weeks recovering with all the help he could get from Tenten. The young ninja had donated every second of her spare time to helping the Hyuuga prodigy get back on his feet. This down time had also provided a chance for Tenten and Neji to kindle their relationship. They would spend entire days together in the park, at the movies, in restaurants, and generally all around Konohagakure. In the meanwhile, Gai, Lee, Sakura, and Naruto set out to find Neji's attackers.

In all this time, Tenten found she knew nothing about herself aside from being a ninja in the Hidden Leaf village. She had no history, no family to speak of. All her life in the village she had just known living perfectly well on her own and being on Team Gai. Filled with new wonder, Tenten began to research and find more about herself, where she came from, and the true reason Neji had fallen for her.

Her parents, Nana and Jun Taihou were separated since Tenten was five. At the time of their separation, neither of her parents had the ability to take care of her, and Nana, Tenten's mother, used a special ninjutsu to cause Tenten to be able to enjoy life and care for herself even though she was alone. It was a secret survival technique normally reserved for exiled ninja who just wouldn't stay away from their former village. Tenten had wandered into the Leaf Village after stowing away in a boat from her homeland, whose name has been lost to history for years. She came when she was six, and one day the Third Hokage took notice of her. Recognizing the special ninjutsu that had been placed on her, the Third gave Tenten a home and left an amount of money for her every month. He had her enrolled in the academy, where she put the hunting skills the special ninjutsu gave her to use. She always hit her target when throwing weapons and her skill in taijutsu immediately landed her a place on Team Gai, where she quickly befriended Rock Lee and Neji Hyuuga.

Neji, on the other hand, had noticed Tenten ever since she came to the village. He enjoyed her determination and ability to perform under pressure. In fact, it was Neji who suggested the idea of Tenten sealing multitudes of weapons inside scrolls, as she would often overload her back full of kunai and shuriken. The kunoichi's looks also contributed to Neji's admiration for her. When they were put on the same team together, he was ecstatic. The real reason Neji would ask Tenten to train her was not to perfect the Byakugan and Gentle Fist arts, but to see her move. Neji's favorite thing in the world was to watch Tenten fight, run, and throw weapons. It was like a show to him, and he would cover his gazes of pure bliss by evaluating Tenten, telling her to move this, and improve that. It wasn't until now that they had really socialized as a couple.

"So that's why…" said Tenten.

"Yes," replied Neji, "and in the end there is only one more thing I need to say to you, Tenten." Tenten looked up at him.

"What is it?" she asked. That's when Neji dropped his crutches, took Tenten in his arms, held her close, and delivered a long, passionate kiss, and Tenten knew she was home.

"I love you, Tenten." said Neji softly. Tenten buried her head in the Hyuuga's chest.

"I love you, too, Neji." she said. There, under the moonlight, the two ninja found themselves, and each other.

"Hey, Neji." said Tenten, her face of soft admiration turning to one of mischievous allure. Of course Neji was confused.

"W-What is it?" he stuttered.

"Now that we're like this, I think the time has come for me to teach you a new… technique." Tenten smiled slyly.

"What do you mean, is it some sort of ninjutsu?"

"Come with me to my room," Tenten took Neji's hand, "I'll show you~"


End file.
